The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2 eBook

were crowned with fruition. They had nothing
to fear. On trees, or in caves, they dwelt as
they liked. His dominions were not distributed
into provinces and towns. The people lived happily
and in joy as each desired. When king Prithu
went to the sea, the waves became solid. The very
mountains used to yield him openings that he might
pass through them. The standard of his car never
broke (obstructed by anything). Once on a time,
the tall trees of the forest, the mountains, the gods,
the Asuras, men, the snakes, the seven Rishis, the
Apsaras, and the Pitris, all came to Prithu, seated
at his ease, and addressing him, said, ’Thou
art our Emperor. Thou art our king. Thou
art our protector and Father. Thou art our Lord.
Therefore, O great king, give us boons after our own
hearts, through which we may, for ever, obtain gratification
and joy.’ Unto them Prithu, the son of
Vena, said, So be it. Then taking up his Ajagava
bow[117] and some terrible arrows the like of which
existed not, he reflected for a moment. He then
addressed the Earth, saying, ’Coming quickly,
O Earth! Yield to these the milk they desire.
From that, blessed be thou, I will give them the food
they solicit.’ Thus addressed by him, the
Earth said, ‘It behoveth thee, O hero, to regard
me as thy daughter.’ Prithu answered, So
be it!—­And then that great ascetic, his
passions under control, made all arrangements (for
milking the Earth. Then the entire assemblage
of creatures began to milk the Earth). And first
of all, the tall trees of the forest rose for milking
her, The Earth then, full of affection, stood there
desiring a calf, a milker, and vessels (wherein to
hold the milk). Then the blossoming Sala became
the calf, the Banian became the milker, torn buds
became the milk, and the auspicious fig tree became
the vessel. (Next, the mountains milked her).
The Eastern hill, whereon the Sun rises, became the
calf; the prince of mountains, viz., Meru, became
the milker; the diverse gems and deciduous herbs became
the milk; and the stones became the vessels (for holding
that milk). Next, one of the gods became the
milker, and all things capable of bestowing energy
and strength became the coveted milk. The Asuras
then milked the Earth, having wine for their milk,
and using an unbaked pot for their vessel. In
that act, Dwimurddhan became the milker, and Virochana,
the calf. The human beings milked the Earth for
cultivation and crops. The self-created Manu
became their calf, and Prithu himself the milker.
Next, the Snakes milked the Earth, getting poison as
the milk, and using a vessel made of a gourd, Dhritarashtra
became the milker, and Takshaka the calf. The
seven Rishis, capable of producing everything by their
fiat,[118] then milked the Earth, getting the Vedas
as their milk. Vrihaspati became the milker, the
Chhandas were the vessel, and the excellent Soma,
the calf. The Yakshas, milking the Earth, got
the power of disappearance at will as the milk in an